Five months and counting - Costa Rica here we come!

2016 is right around the corner

Do you know how quickly FIVE months can go by? (OK six months for you vacationers) but you will look up and it will be time. Trust me on that!
 

So in an effort to make sure we are all prepared to make the trip to Costa Rica, I am planning for us to meet on Sunday January 31 at 1:00pm at our usual meet up location. 

At this time we are planning for a 10-12 day trip with stops in the Central Valley, Caribbean Coast (Puerto Viejo) and the Pacific side. We can discuss details at the meeting.

First stop - La Terraza Bed & Breakfast - Grecia, Costa Rica 

Nestled in the Central valley's rolling hills and surrounded by sugar cane plantations. Grecia is a picturesque town with a mild climate aka "the cleanest city in Latin America"

I spoke with Jeanetta and she is holding all of the rooms @ LaTerraza for us. If everyone goes that has expressed interest we will need all 5 rooms.

At our meeting we will need a final committment as to who is in and who is out. We will also need to be prepared to make payment for our rooms  very soon after (this can be done online once I receive the rates. We paid $99 plus Tax & fees in March - and BTW - worth every dime!!!)  

New rooms rates will be determined based on # of rooms needed and length of stay. I will confirm rates prior to us making the payments. Curently the rooms are being held from 7/2 - 7/5 (checkout) We can also decide at our meeting if we want to add an additional day. 

The Central Valley and San José

These areas are 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level and thus are much more moderate in temperature.  Days are generally sunny and bright. Low to mid 80s. There are also many more high-end restaurants, more cultural spots (theatre, dance, or symphony), and more locations where you may want to look your best (or your better?).  There are also a ton of night spots where people (especially the young people) dress to the nines.  

Daytime temps seldom go far above 82 degrees F and the nights tend to be moderate in the mid 60's.  Yes, there IS a wind chill factor even is it is 72F.  If you are coming during the 'green season' (late May to November), expect clouds by Noon and rain around 1 PM each day that can last from one or two hours to maybe five or six hours. That still leaves maybe 7 hours of sun each morning, so the rain is not unpleasant at all. 

Bring comfortable shoes for walking and shopping.  Malls here are huge and are not very different than those in the USA. It is easy to spend a day supporting the local economy.  Walking San José is a blast, but the streets are not always in good repair.

For the evenings, you can be as formal or informal as you like, but a lot of folks do dress for the 'better' restaurants or for cultural events.  Many places are air conditioned.

In many places, there is dancing!  So bring whatever footwear you need.  Bands are live and loud!  Dress is all over the place.

Source The Real Costa Rica